THE Mental Health Act 1983 is intended to help doctors deal with people who have mental disorders.

THE Mental Health Act 1983 is intended to help doctors deal with people who have mental disorders.

Part of the Act makes it possible for patients to be detained and treated against their will.

The Act is, like any other Act of Parliament, divided into Sections. This has coined the term "being sectioned" to mean being compulsorily admitted to hospital. For a person to be sectioned under the Act, a court must be satisfied that they pose a potential threat to themselves or others.

For a person to be detained in hospital for 72 hours under Section 4 of the Act, an application has to be made by a registered psychiatrist and a social worker. This can be converted into a Section 2 order - allowing an extra 28 days' detention - and this requires the recommendation of two doctors, usually a psychiatrist and a GP.